2014 Volume 35 Issue 2 Pages 108-118
With the recent progresses in computer performance and simulation techniques, it is becoming feasible to apply full three-dimensional wave-based numerical simulation techniques to large-scale problems of real-life sound propagation outdoors. In the present paper, a reconstruction technique for real-life urban geometries with full reproduction of the roof shapes and for the ground profiles using digital geographic information is presented. Also, a generation technique for the uniform rectilinear grid used in finite-difference time-domain simulations is presented. The types of geographic dataset used for the reconstruction are a digital surface model and a two-dimensional building outline map. For comparison, another geometry with flat building roofs, which is the type of geometry used in former noise-mapping studies using empirical models, is created. Comparison of the results of finite-difference time-domain acoustic simulations performed over the geometries shows sound pressure level differences above and behind buildings. The maximum level difference of 10 dB in magnitude indicates the necessity of proper reconstruction of the roof shapes in real-life urban acoustic simulations.
